*I am not a licensed therapist or mental health professional. I am just a lawyer that wants other struggling lawyers to open up and learn that they are not alone.*
My Journey
First, I no longer have the beard.
Now that this is out of the way, I want to provide an idea of my journey navigating The Lawyer Life. I suffer from depression and anxiety. I don't think that I would be free of these ailments if I were not a lawyer, but being a lawyer certainly has a way of exacerbating or provoking these conditions. I have been in therapy for at least 10 years and I highly recommend that anyone struggling with The Lawyering Life find a licensed therapist or social worker. I have done ketamine therapy, practiced mindfulness, been in talk therapy, been in cognitive behavioral therapy, and read books and listened to podcasts about coping with mental health struggles.
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The thing I noticed that was largely missing from my efforts to cope with these conditions was the ability to talk to other lawyers who understand the day-to-day life of practicing law. I am beyond grateful to my therapists and mental health professionals. I also think there is a lot of room for legal professionals to destigmatize and normalize open and honest discussions about the struggles that come with being a lawyer. That is why I started The Lawyering Life.
Do not let the fear and reputational concerns get in the way of being open and honest with yourself and others. In my experience, being open and honest helps me at work and at home.
I know that there is a fear about reputational harm if a lawyer talks about this sort of thing. I have not found that to be the case and, in fact, I think being open and honest has helped me in my practice, and through the process of learning more about myself, I have been able to tailor my style and my practice in a way that fits me, rather than trying to be someone I am not.